It is known to provide a reading apparatus comprising a post, an arm horizontally swingable at the top portion of the post and a support plate with a bottom ledge for supporting reading material, the supporting plate being connected to the front end of the arm for horizontal orientation and also for level adjustment. However, in the prior art, the level adjustment means are complicated in construction, difficult to handle and, generally, do not permit detachment of the support plate from the arm. Examples of prior art devices are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 2,236,133 dated Mar. 25, 1941, issued to Arthur G. Kroninger et al and entitled: "COPY HOLDER" and Canadian Patent No. 339,795 dated Mar. 6, 1934, entitled: "BOOK HOLDERS" and inventor Daniel Busby. In the American patent, the support frame is not easily detachable from the arm and a knurled knob, only accesible at the back of the support plate, must be manipulated to adjust the level of the support plate. In the Canadian patent, wing nuts high above the level of the book holder proper must be manipulated to adjust the book holder level and, moreover, the entire reading apparatus is cumbersome and inaesthetic.